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Cardiac Rehabilitation in Dubna – a partnership between Dubna, Russia and La Crosse cardiac professionals
Goal: To train Dubna health professionals in cardiac rehabilitation to improve quality of life of patients and to reduce average length of stay after a heart attack.
Major achievements: Exchanges between health professionals from La Crosse and Dubna resulted in a change in how heart patients were treated in Dubna. A change was made from encouraging extensive bed rest for patients to one of mild and then more vigorous exercise soon after an uncomplicated myocardial infarction. Testing of cardiac performance was also added to Dubna physicians’ capabilities to confidently prescribe exercise for the heart patient. Translated educational materials for patients and their families gave patients confidence in their rehabilitation and also gave them an important role in their recovery. The result: a significant reduction in average length of stay for patients of uncomplicated myocardial infarctions from 33 to 14-16 days (1993 – 1995).
Impact: A major change in medical practice was evident in this area of our medical partnering. Russian cardiologists took risks in trying new ways of medicine and were extremely satisfied with their improvements in patient care. This early trial also encouraged other physicians to take similar risks and try new ways of practice in the Health Care Quality Improvement Project two years after this project.
Additional highlights: Collaboration with the American Heart Association, the University of Wisconsin Adult Fitness and Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, the American International Health Alliance, and the Wisconsin Heart Institute made this project possible.
Funding: Staff of World Services of La Crosse, Inc. was responsible for the management of approximately $1.5 million in resources including grants from the American International Health Alliance (funding provided by U.S. Agency for International Development) to support this program and other health projects in Dubna, Russia, described in this document.